A British Columbia school district has reached a $1.1 million settlement with man who says he faced sexual abuse as a student during the 1980s.

Plaintiff’s counsel says the payout is the largest reported settlement in an abuse case involving an individual teacher in the province, the Prince George Citizen reported. The amount will be covered by School District 57’s insurer.

The victim, Michael B., says he was a grade six student at Austin Road Elementary School when the sexual abuse by teacher Wendell Diakiw allegedly began, according to the Prince George Citizen. The abuse allegedly went on for three years.

In 1986, the victim took a tape recorded to Diakiw’s house and was able to secure a confession, which led to police charges.

The next year, the teacher was charged with sexual offences involving six students, including the victim with whom the recent settlement was reached, and was sentenced to five years in jail, the Prince George Citizen reported.

Plaintiff’s counsel said the $1.1 million payout represents the damage the victim endured in terms of his education and career, as well as lifelong counseling and inpatient psychological treatment, The Star reported.

Michael was one of four alleged sexual abuse victims represented by the same counsel. The other three victims also have reached settlements out of court; the terms of those settlements have been kept confidential.

In addition to the $1.1 million, Michael also secured an apology as part of the settlement, according to The Star.

Michael said had the school district not apologized, he would have taken the case to trial.

“The school district handled it so well and really did the right thing, which is unheard of, and I really want the news to reflect that and set a new precedent for other institutions to do the same,” Michael said in an interview, according to the Prince George Citizen.

The case had been scheduled to go to trial in November 2020, but that date was postponed because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The victim, who had not lived in Prince George for 30 years, has moved back, according to the Prince George Citizen.

He says the settlement — particularly the school district’s apology — has given him some closure.

“It’s a big shift in my thinking, too, like the anger,” Michael said. “Now it’s a big thank you. I mean, that’s a huge difference.”

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